The head of the Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos, Anatoly Perminov, approved the mission patch for the next crew to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) onboard the Russian vehicle Soyuz TMA-21 in March next year.

The patch uses a drawing by a French boy, Marciel Santos Kayle, 12, who lives in French Guiana, not far away from the new launch pad for Russian Soyuz rockets.

The winner of traditional Roscosmos' patch contest is invited to come to Baikonur to witness the upcoming launch.

As Roscosmos' chief has announced, the Soyuz TMA-21 vehicle will have a GAGARIN sign on it. The launch is to be devoted to the 50th anniversary of the first space mission by Yuri Gagarin.

Marciel's sketch was chosen for the crew emblem because it depicts Gagarin and his spacecraft, Vostok. The patch will be worn by the Soyuz prime crew - Alexander Samokutyayev, Andrei Borisenko and Ron Garan.

Marciel has five brothers and four sisters. Since his mother's death three years ago, Marciel lives with the family of his uncle. He goes in for drawing and dreams about becoming a cosmonaut.

According to Roscosmos head Anatoly Perminov, the international patch contest will go on in 2011, which was announced as the Year of Cosmonautics by the Russian President.

So, Marciel and three other young winners will be awarded trips to Baikonur in 2011.

Roscosmos has been running the Soyuz patch contest for two years. Eight Russian crew vehicles have been flown into space with the patches made by young artists. Among the winners, there were children from the United States and China.

Mike ZNew Member

Posts: From: Registered:

posted 12-27-2010 11:07 PM
This is another fantastic patch! I love the image of Yuri Gagarin. Also the patch in the shape of the Vostok-1. WOW!!!

Where did 50 years go? I remember my cousin talking how a Russian was in space. Then Alan Shepard launched on my 7th birthday. That was a MAGIC time that the world will never see again.

posted 02-01-2011 02:08 PM
Officially, the Baikonur 2011 version is for the back up crew. The Gagarin version was designed as an additional commemorative patch at the request of Roscosmos. Both versions have been embroidered, so I would not be surprised if we would see them getting mixed up.

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 32226From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 04-04-2011 11:12 AM
Courtesy SpacePatches.nl, a look at the embroidered versions for the prime crew and commemorative versions of the Soyuz TMA-21 emblem launching later today.

hoorenzMember

Posts: 886From: The NetherlandsRegistered: Jan 2003

posted 04-04-2011 01:53 PM
And here are the official pins, also courtesy spacepatches.nl

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 32226From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 04-04-2011 08:45 PM
Good to see the TMA-21 crew wearing the official pins on their blue flight suits (together with a Yuri Gagarin 50th anniversary pin).

Apollo 8New Member

Posts: From: Registered:

posted 04-06-2011 06:19 PM
EDIT: I have ordered one set of TMA-21 patch, Commemorative patch and pin from spacepatches.nl right now, because this patch to honor Yuri Gagarin is the most beautiful I have seen!